Chapter 28

Chapter 28

#Resort Opening (1)

A few weeks later, an exquisite carriage, a rare sight in Evergreen, came to a stop in front of the newly completed resort.

"Goodness gracious, what a place! How can something like this exist here?"

"Oh, the invitation didn't exaggerate in the least."

Countess Noella and the Count, alighting from the carriage, continuously expressed their admiration as they gazed at the splendid architecture and picturesque landscapes.

"Are you Countess Noella and the Count? We've been expecting your arrival. Please follow us for the check-in process."

Staff members, dressed in navy uniforms, warmly greeted the guests with a polite and accommodating demeanor.

The reception area they were escorted to exuded tranquility, tidiness, and an air of refinement.

"We appreciate your choice of our resort. I'm Dominic, the manager of this establishment and also the leader of Evergreen village."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've been wanting to chat with you, particularly about Lady Sinclair."

Countess Noella hinted in a subtly familiar tone.

'I must recruit this man as my chef during my stay here!'

The reason Countess Noella, who still maintained her plump figure, hadn't ignored the invitation and had even brought the Count along was due to her concealed motives.

'I'll demonstrate my influence, and he'll willingly give up his insignificant role as village chief. He'll follow my lead, and even the Sinclair family won't have a word to say.'

As the head of the Noella family, which managed several thriving businesses passed down through generations, she possessed great confidence when it came to spending money.

An excuse? How delightful!

'He had the audacity to send me an invitation first. I heard he didn't even send one to Lady Sinclair.'

She speculated that perhaps this village head was also fed up with the tightfisted Lady Sinclair, who wouldn't part with a few gold coins.

"I'm honored that you remember me, VIP."

"V..VIP?"

"Yes, it's an acronym our staff use for very important guests. I got a little flustered and slippedhaha, please forgive me."

"A very important guest? Ohoho! Your business will certainly prosper if you can judge character like this!"

Countess Noella was increasingly drawn to Dominic, who seemed to understand how to please a noblewoman.

She even lightly tapped her folding fan on the sofa, clearly delighted. Her feelings were quite transparent.

"Ah, but, my lady, our resort is somewhat different from an inn."

"Hmm? The invitation says you provide accommodations, doesn't it?"

"We do offer lodging, but fundamentally, our aim is to enhance your relaxation and leisure."nove(l)bi(n.)com

"...Isn't that the same thing?"

"Haha, you'll come to realize the difference during your stay. For now, please complete this form."

The document Dominic handed over included numerous checkboxes, including the purpose of the guest's visit to the resort, additional requests, and preferences.

"Postnatal recovery? No. Anniversary trip? No. Strictly speaking, I suppose it's for relaxation and a change of atmosphere?"

"Indeed. You've been quite occupied lately."

"Oh my, I have to select meals? Happy Hour? Barbecue Time? Fitness Center... Lounge Bar..."

Although it seemed like a luxurious inn, many items on the form were unfamiliar, and the names of the amenities were all rather peculiar.

Nevertheless, Countess Noella decided not to inquire about each one, thinking it would seem petty.

'I'll figure it out as I go. It's only for three days. But it might get a little dull.'

However, her concerns were unfounded.

***

"Goodness gracious!"

Upon reaching their lodging with the assistance of the baggage-carrying staff, Countess Noella was rendered speechless.

"What in the world is this? Is this truly an inn?"

From the outside, the property had appeared spacious, but this exceeded all expectations!

Dominic, as if he had been waiting for this moment, handed over a box of twelve beautifully wrapped macarons.

Confronted with the colorful macarons, Perot's eyes lit up.

"Would you like to try one? Each filling has a different flavor. This is strawberry, this is cream cheese, this is blueberry, buttercream..."

Munch!

Before he could finish his sentence, Perot had already seized one and taken a sizable bite.

Her eyes widened in delight as the luxurious sweetness exploded in her mouth, swiftly followed by a tingling sensation from the tangy raspberry jam that met her taste buds.

"It's delicious! Damn it!"

"I would like a temperature control device installed in the private spa, if that's possible, Wizard."

"...Alright, I'll get to work!"

Aware that she was being used, Perot had no option but to turn away after securing the remaining macarons.

After all, giving up those snacks was out of the question.

"You might be the only one who can charm a wizard like that."

Dominic, who treated the wizard as if dealing with a dog or cat, was just as surprised as Ian by the wizard's gullibility.

At least among the wizards Ian had encountered, none were as impulsive as this one.

"All that's left is the exercise program and diet for tomorrow morning."

"You don't seem concerned about it failing."

"They have already taken a liking to this place. Naturally, anything you do in a place you like will seem favorable. Just wait and see how many of the ladies who usually don't exercise participate."

"You're that confident?"

"Absolutely. Care to make a wager? One gold?"

"Knights don't make frivolous bets..."

"Having second thoughts?"

"...Alright, 10 gold."

"Deal!"

It wasn't just Mr. and Mrs. Noella who were enchanted by the resort's amenities.

From the spa to the lounge bar, the cafe, and the casino facilities, the ten pairs of invited guests were genuinely relishing a refreshing break from their hectic lives.

Customer satisfaction directly translated to increased sales.

Essentially, Evergreen Resort was a massive department store packaged as a place for relaxation and rejuvenation.

***

The following morning,

Situated in the heart of the resort, seven out of the ten ladies staying at the resort attended the women-only fitness lounge.

The three ladies who didn't attend were either expecting a child soon or had recently given birth and needed rest, making the participation rate nearly 100%.

Calron's wife, a former mercenary squad leader, was invited as an instructor to welcome the ladies.

The program she had prepared involved stretching-based gymnastics and some strength training with equipment.

Ordinarily, these ladies would never have considered such exercise, coming up with various excuses.

However, fully immersed in the delight that the resort's unique space offered away from their daily routines, even exercise felt like a new experience!

"The belief is that a successful vacation involves swimming, exercising, and doing yoga!" Dominic confidently extended his hand.

"Hand it over. 10 gold."

"...Here you go."

Ian admitted defeat without further ado.

However, their joy was short-lived.

"Village, Village Chief! Mrs. Owen is going into labor right now!"

"What? Right now?"

It appeared that today wouldn't pass quietly after all.